Having had ducks since I was eleven years old, I cannot imagine being without them. At one time or another, I have owned almost all types of waterfowl, turkeys, and chickens in both the standard (large) and bantam (miniature) sizes.

I became interested in showing waterfowl in my late teens and have done so continuously for the last thirty five years. While my first love has always been waterfowl, (ducks and geese) I have bred and shown bantam chickens for the last dozen years or so as well as continuing to work with my established strains of bantam ducks. I am a member of the N.P.I.P. program. My approval number is 558.

When one becomes interested in exhibition poultry, there are several aspects other than the competition involved in the poultry shows which are attractive. I probably derive the most pleasure out of the yearly cycle of mating, hatching and rearing the birds. I also enjoy my activities as a licensed judge. I became a judge (which requires an apprenticeship and the passing of a written exam) in 1970 at the age of 25. Judging assignments allow me to travel around the country and to meet and work with a wonderful cross section of poultry fanciers.

In addition to breeding and showing the birds and judging, I enjoy writing a regular column on waterfowl for the principal monthly publication on exhibition poultry, the Poultry Press. I have also written a guide to the judging of bantam waterfowl (ABA Judging Manual for Bantam Ducks) and have contributed to other books written about exhibition waterfowl.

Getting to know the wonderful people who are involved in exhibition poultry has been one of the joys of my life. They are, as a group, most warm, and helpful. One also does not have to be wealthy to afford to work with exhibition poultry. All in all, I have found poultry to be a fulfilling and enjoyable hobby and advocation.